He said Mr Rowe's comments were "astonishing" when RSL members had established the clubs, opened their doors to the public in the 1970s and chosen to sell beer and install pokies.

"It's the money that they've generated from the general community that has allowed them to assist veterans and support the ideals of the RSL," Mr Ball told AAP.

He said Mr Rowe's comments were "divorced from reality" and RSL members he spoke to on Wednesday told him they were horrified by Mr Rowe's comments "trashing the RSL brand."

"To say that there is no contribution made by RSL clubs to the RSL is just flat out wrong."

Mr Ball said club support for RSL members included the employment of veterans welfare officers, the maintenance of war history museums, counsellors for veterans with financial and mental health problems and funding of Anzac Day dawn services.